19 See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can't escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die.
> I love you, Yahweh, my strength. Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; And I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came on me. In my distress I called on Yahweh, And cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple, My cry before him came into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, Because he was angry. Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his hiding-place, his pavilion around him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, Hailstones and coals of fire. Yahweh also thundered in the sky, The Most High uttered his voice: Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them. Then the channels of waters appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, At the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. They came on me in the day of my calamity, But Yahweh was my support. He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, And have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his ordinances were before me. I didn't put away his statutes from me. I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect. With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. For you will save the afflicted people, But the haughty eyes you will bring down. For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness. For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God, The God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect? He makes my feet like deer's feet, And sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to war; So that my arms bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great. You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped. I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed. I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet. For you have girded me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, That I might cut off those who hate me. They cried, but there was none to save; Even to Yahweh, but he didn't answer them. Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets. You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me. The foreigners shall fade away, And shall come trembling out of their close places. Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation, Even the God who executes vengeance for me, And subdues peoples under me. He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, And will sing praises to your name. He gives great deliverance to his king, And shows loving kindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, forevermore.
> I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, And gave me a firm place to stand. He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh. Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, And doesn't respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, And your thoughts which are toward us. They can't be set in order to you; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice and offering you didn't desire. You have opened my ears: Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, "Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll. I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart." I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know. I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly. Don't withhold your tender mercies from me, Yahweh. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. My heart has failed me. Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Yahweh. Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt. Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, "Aha! Aha!" Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love your salvation say continually, "Let Yahweh be exalted!" But I am poor and needy; May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Don't delay, my God.
"Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favorable no more? Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?" Selah. Then I thought, "I will appeal to this: The years of the right hand of the Most High." I will remember Yah's deeds; For I will remember your wonders of old.
> Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name! Praise Yahweh, my soul, And don't forget all his benefits; Who forgives all your sins; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfies your desire with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Yahweh executes righteous acts, And justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, His deeds to the children of Israel. Yahweh is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. He will not always accuse; Neither will he stay angry forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor repaid us for our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has he removed our transgressions from us. Like a father has compassion on his children, So Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more. But Yahweh's loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, His righteousness to children's children; To those who keep his covenant, To those who remember to obey his precepts. Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all. Praise Yahweh, you angels of his, Who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, Obeying the voice of his word. Praise Yahweh, all you hosts of his, You servants of his, who do his pleasure. Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, In all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul.
Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, For his loving kindness endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh, Or fully declare all his praise? Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times. Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation, That I may see the prosperity of your chosen, That I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, That I may glory with your inheritance. We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers didn't understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn't remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, But were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, That he might make his mighty power known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; So he led them through the depths, as through a desert. He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left. Then they believed his words. They sang his praise. They soon forgot his works. They didn't wait for his counsel, But gave in to craving in the desert, And tested God in the wasteland. He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul. They envied Moses also in the camp, And Aaron, Yahweh's saint. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And covered the company of Abiram. A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burned up the wicked. They made a calf in Horeb, And worshiped a molten image. Thus they exchanged their glory For an image of a bull that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, Wondrous works in the land of Ham, And awesome things by the Red Sea. Therefore he said that he would destroy them, Had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, To turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn't destroy them. Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They didn't believe his word, But murmured in their tents, And didn't listen to Yahweh's voice. Therefore he swore to them That he would overthrow them in the wilderness, That he would overthrow their seed among the nations, And scatter them in the lands. They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead. Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them. Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment, So the plague was stopped. That was credited to him for righteousness, For all generations to come. They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, So that Moses was troubled for their sakes; Because they were rebellious against his spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips. They didn't destroy the peoples, As Yahweh commanded them, But mixed themselves with the nations, And learned their works. They served their idols, Which became a snare to them. Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their works, And prostituted themselves in their deeds. Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance. He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them. They were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times he delivered them, But they were rebellious in their counsel, And were brought low in their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their distress, When he heard their cry. He remembered for them his covenant, And repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. He made them also to be pitied By all those who carried them captive. Save us, Yahweh, our God, Gather us from among the nations, To give thanks to your holy name, To triumph in your praise! Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, "Amen." Praise Yah!
I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice, And my cries for mercy. Because he has turned his ear to me, Therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death surrounded me, The pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I on the name of Yahweh: "Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul." Gracious is Yahweh, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. Yahweh preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, For Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling. I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living. I believed, therefore I said, "I was greatly afflicted." I said in my haste, "All men are liars." What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of Yahweh. I will pay my vows to Yahweh, Yes, in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of Yahweh is the death of his saints. Yahweh, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have freed me from my chains. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call on the name of Yahweh. I will pay my vows to Yahweh, Yes, in the presence of all his people, In the courts of Yahweh's house, In the midst of you, Jerusalem. Praise Yah!
They came to him, and woke him up, saying, "Save us, Lord! We are dying!" He said to them, "Why are you fearful, oh you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 19
Commentary on Genesis 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
Ge 19:1-38. Lot's Entertainment.
1. there came two angels—most probably two of those that had been with Abraham, commissioned to execute the divine judgment against Sodom.
Lot sat in the gate of Sodom—In Eastern cities it is the market, the seat of justice, of social intercourse and amusement, especially a favorite lounge in the evenings, the arched roof affording a pleasant shade.
2. turn in, I pray you … tarry all night—offer of the same generous hospitalities as described in Ge 18:2-8, and which are still spontaneously practised in the small towns.
And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night—Where there are no inns and no acquaintance, it is not uncommon for travellers to sleep in the street wrapped up in their cloaks.
3. entered into his house—On removing to the plain, Lot intended at first to live in his tent apart from the people [Ge 13:12]. But he was gradually drawn in, dwelt in the city, and he and his family were connected with the citizens by marriage ties.
4. men of Sodom, compassed the house—Appalling proofs are here given of their wickedness. It is evident that evil communications had corrupted good manners; otherwise Lot would never have acted as he did.
12, 13. Hast thou here any besides? … we will destroy this place—Apostolic authority has declared Lot was "a righteous man" (2Pe 2:8), at bottom good, though he contented himself with lamenting the sins that he saw, instead of acting on his own convictions, and withdrawing himself and family from such a sink of corruption. But favor was shown him: and even his bad relatives had, for his sake, an offer of deliverance, which was ridiculed and spurned (2Pe 3:4).
15-17. The kindly interest the angels took in the preservation of Lot is beautifully displayed. But he "lingered." Was it from sorrow at the prospect of losing all his property, the acquisition of many years? Or was it that his benevolent heart was paralyzed by thoughts of the awful crisis? This is the charitable way of accounting for a delay that would have been fatal but for the friendly urgency of the angel.
18, 19. Lot said … Oh, not so, my Lord … I cannot escape to the mountain—What a strange want of faith and fortitude, as if He who had interfered for his rescue would not have protected Lot in the mountain solitude.
21. See, I have accepted thee concerning this … also—His request was granted him, the prayer of faith availed, and to convince him, from his own experience, that it would have been best and safest at once to follow implicitly the divine directions.
22. Haste … for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither—The ruin of Sodom was suspended till he was secure. What care God does take of His people (Re 7:3)! What a proof of the love which God bore to a good though weak man!
24. Then the Lord rained … brimstone and fire from … heaven—God, in accomplishing His purposes, acts immediately or mediately through the agency of means; and there are strong grounds for believing that it was in the latter way He effected the overthrow of the cities of the plain—that it was, in fact, by a volcanic eruption. The raining down of fire and brimstone from heaven is perfectly accordant with this idea since those very substances, being raised into the air by the force of the volcano, would fall in a fiery shower on the surrounding region. This view seems countenanced by Job [Job 1:16; 18:15]. Whether it was miraculously produced, or the natural operation employed by God, it is not of much consequence to determine: it was a divine judgment, foretold and designed for the punishment of those who were sinners exceedingly.
26. Lot was accompanied by his wife and two daughters. But whether it was from irresistible curiosity or perturbation of feeling, or that she was about to return to save something, his wife lingered, and while thus disobeying the parting counsel, "to look not back, nor stay in all the plain" [Ge 19:17], the torrent of liquid lava enveloped her so that she became the victim of her supine indolence or sinful rashness.
27. Abraham gat up early in the morning, &c.—Abraham was at this time in Mamre, near Hebron, and a traveller last year verified the truth of this passage. "From the height which overlooks Hebron, where the patriarch stood, the observer at the present day has an extensive view spread out before him towards the Dead Sea. A cloud of smoke rising from the plain would be visible to a person at Hebron now, and could have been, therefore, to Abraham as he looked toward Sodom on the morning of its destruction by God" [Hackett]. It must have been an awful sight, and is frequently alluded to in Scripture (De 29:23; Isa 13:19; Jude 7). "The plain which is now covered by the Salt or Dead Sea shows in the great difference of level between the bottoms of the northern and southern ends of the lake—the latter being thirteen feet and the former thirteen hundred—that the southern end was of recent formation, and submerged at the time of the fall of the cities" [Lynch].
29. when God destroyed the cities, &c.—This is most welcome and instructive after so painful a narrative. It shows if God is a "consuming fire" to the wicked [De 4:24; Heb 12:29], He is the friend of the righteous. He "remembered" the intercessions of Abraham, and what confidence should not this give us that He will remember the intercessions of a greater than Abraham in our behalf.